FIVE police officers have been treated in hospital for smoke inhalation after a fire at flats in north Belfast.
The officers had entered the Flax Street apartment block to evacuate residents after the fire broke out shortly after 5.40am on Saturday.
A man, who was also treated for smoke inhalation, was arrested on suspicion of arson endangering life.
Detective Sergeant Stephen Gardiner said: "I would commend the bravery of the responding officers who dealt with this incident, for their selflessness and commitment to protecting the public and ensuring the residents of the building were removed from harm’s way and were kept safe."
Earlier this week Christina McNally, a mother-of-three who lives in the complex, told The Irish News that she was "terrified to walk out of my flat" amidst ongoing anti-social behaviour.
The single mother claims she has been verbally abused in the communal hallways and has to shield her children from people openly injecting drugs.
Last Monday night a man was stabbed in an adjacent block of flats in the same complex.
Meanwhile, an arson attack on a farm in Co Fermanagh has killed three animals.
The fire broke out at a large shed on the Killsmullen Road near Irvinestown at around 10.30pm on Wednesday.
A cow and two calves were killed, while expensive farm equipment including tractors was destroyed.
Det Con Linda Strawbridge said: "The fire service has now determined that the fire was started deliberately and the matter has been passed to police."
Police have appealed for anyone with information or who was in the area at the time to contact officers on 101.
